For all of you who've served and know first hand the loss of comrades in arms, I thank you for your service and sacrifice on behalf of the ignorant masses who are coddled and blessed with the blanket of freedom and safety that you and your fallen brethren have provided for us all. From those of us who are not as ignorant of your comrades "gave all" sacrifice and you and your family's selfless sacrifices, you have our thanks, our gratitude and an acknowledgement of a debt that we will NEVER be able to repay. You walk humbly and often anonymously in our midst, yet know that we value you and your service and hold you in high esteem and you have a place in the secret corners of our hearts that brings "manly men" of conscience to well with tears of pride and empathy for all that you and your brethren have done seen and endured on our behalf.

Not all of us mindlessly grill, drink and revel in oblivion to what Memorial Day is all about. I've been to the site in Pennsylvania where the widows of fallen Civil War Veterans started the observance of the day, memorialized in Bronze, the statues lay flowers and weep for the waves of the fallen. It's quite sobering to know that the majority of the male population in that community gave all in the hope of preserving the Union.

To you and the fallen of past, present and future, thank you and your families for the price paid for our freedoms.

I've thought of this topic quite a bit since November 8th and I think that this whole illegal immigration issue is a lot more simple than we realize. Government can do something very simple, Constitutional AND hard for Dems to argue against:

Other than basic police services and TRUE emergency care, NOTHING will be provided for illegal immigrants using taxpayers money.....NOTHING. NO WELFARE, no unemployment, no scholarships, no food stamps! Pass that in one simple law, and watch how quickly the masses return to their homes. We are STUPID when it comes to letting massive numbers "game" our systems!

I've got students on "free and reduced books" that leave school for 1-2 months over this time of year while they return "home" to build massive homes in Mexico from all the cash they make here by gaming our beurocratic nightmare!

If they are willing to stay here on their OWN dime, without handouts, then they're probably the kind we would want to allow to become citizens after getting in line and following some process and actually "registering" in some way; and having a easy to spot drivers license that requires "bonding" with cash so that they can't forge "auto insurance" coverage like the one that hit my wife awhile back.

"It's here....winter......woke up to flakes falling at 4:30 am letting the dog out..."

As I age, I'm getting to despise winter........cold and damp......morons driving who shouldn't be, even when roads are dry! My truck is outside year round so always needs to be cleared of the white crap or ice - thank heavens for auto start! I'll need new tires now too as some serious travel this spring/summer wore them quicker than anticipated!

Don't get me wrong, I like snow on a limited basis and have no problem driving in it, I just hate sniveling millenials and their friends who can't handle election results and differing beliefs or opinions because it makes them sob and curl up in a ball.......these idiots confronted with adverse driving conditions try to do the same IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY anytime they can't see black pavement, seeming to chant "black pavement matters" and thinking their "safe zone" should be wherever they happen to be when challenged mentally or physically!

Unfortunately, survival of the fittest no longer applies to the human race in America......nope, we nurture the weakest and mentally feeble, holding back the brightest and strongest so everyone can feel validated and affirmed in their "life choices"........what happened to winter thinning the herd!

So, as we rush into the Holiday Seasons, we all get to see relatives and friends who we KNOW would be our first candidates for sustainence duty if we were in a Donner Party scenario, and they'll probably still be puffy eyed and "boo-boo lipped" from the Election results across the country and looking for a "safe zone" from your judgmental voting and unwillingness to affirm their wallowing in self-pity. I fear the phrase "suck it up, Butter Cup" will be uttered unmercifully this year by me.....

Well, time for more coffee and maybe a fire in the fireplace?.......Can't take bird dogs hunting during Deer Season weekend around here so we can catch-up on naps together this afternoon!

This Thanksgiving, I'm going to be thankful that the silent majority woke up and ran one our biggest families of Rats out of power for a little while, and we have a "chance" to return the country to a Godly path again! God Bless America! Push a KIA or Prius into the ditch this winter if the opportunity arises........it'll build character for a suffering millenial!

Okay, I've been tossing around the idea of putting together one from a smorgasbord of available parts and all, but need some help/guidance and suggestions. Will be using a Spikes Tactical billet lower & upper.

So, some barrels come without a gas block - what's the best option(s) for a barrel without one? Gas tubes? My desire is a top quality barrel to try and maximize accuracy etc. and I'm leaning towards 18" for a balance between that and maneuverability.

Thank you to everyone of you who've served this country and put yourself in harms way to maintain that freedom for all of us; thanks to the 3%. Unfortunately, the vast majority of actual citizens, have little clue that this commemorates the day when the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence, putting off the yoke of Imperial Oppression by the Crown of England.

Since that time, never has it been more important for our Republic and it's citizens to be more conscious of the reasons and purpose of our system of checks and balances, as designed by an ingenious band of Patriots that the ruling class looked down upon as rabble and an inferior class to be Governed by the Elites of England!

For anyone willing to take an honest look around our Country at the actions, words and attitudes of our elected Politicians and their appointed Bureaucrats, it should be PAINFULLY obvious that we're suffering from an even more blatant form of oppression by our "elected" Political Elite!

Executive actions that defy the system of checks and balances of Congress and the Courts, which when and if they're struck down by said bodies, are then supported by inaction by the Federal arms of Law Enforcement Agencies and local Law Enforcement unwilling to follow the properly passed laws of this country!

Illegal and Treasonous acts by Government Officials that defy logic and common sense when talked about in the News by pundits who follow the talking points provided by the handlers of said crooks. The accused acting as if they've done nothing wrong, waving it off like a pesky fly buzzing about their head, lying about the legality of their actions and their minions scurry to do everything in their power to make it so. The HEAD of the DOJ, meets privately with the husband of the accused, where their protection details work in concert to make sure nobody documents the meeting! Does NOBODY see the problems with this subjugation of a supposedly free press? FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS AND ENTITIES have provided HUGE contributions to help get these people elected- HOW IS THIS EVEN ALLOWED? What is going on when our citizens don't even have enough sense to see how dangerous actions like this are? Most probably couldn't give you a working definition of what Treason is, nor point to one of SEVERAL acts by citizens and Governmental Official over the last several years - prosecuted or unprosecuted!

I just recently learned, that the county that I live in, CROOK County as it's often referred to, slid a new onerous tax through under the noses of a usually vigilant association that fights to prevent such acts, or at least the surprise of such actions. Get this, a $.05 PER ROUND tax on all center fire ammunition! Needless to say, I now know why the Cabela's near my house has a HUGE overstock of ammunition all of a sudden! How did I find out about said tax? The girl at the register informed my, by asking if I knew what county I was in, and when I informed her that I did know and asked, "why?", she informed me of said tax! I immediately thanked her and elected to NOT purchase any ammunition and walked out the door as I've been told is common for everyone like me shopping there! I also thought of the "Stamp Tax" imposed upon the Colonies which was one of several catalysts for the Revolutionary War- how is a tax like this ammunition tax any different? It's not about revenue, though this crooked state and county sure is in need of it, along with a diet on spending! This is about abridging the rights of the Second Amendment within a specific local, by the executive action of an elected body with the "legal right" to tax it's citizenry; I cannot fathom how this is not overturned as excessive and oppressive?

It should be plain for all thinking persons to see, we are all in danger of loosing our Republic! We are guilty of watching grievous abuses of power and violations of Constitutional Law without screaming at the top of our lungs to our elected Government Officials. We sit by and silently shake our heads when the supposed "Free Press" fails to do ANY due diligence to report the facts and investigate all sides of the news; worse is that we often fail to support and thank those few journalists who do!

Never before since the founding of this Republic, has it been more important for a resurgence of Patriotism and return to a moral code of behavior throughout our Country than it is now! We all have an unpaid debt that we've ignored for far too long...

After we explored Kentucky, we continued our Bourbon & Bullets Tour heading to Tennessee, with three stops while there:

Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Great Tour and tasting with the great little town of Lynchburg to explore while you wait for your tour. This was one of the more restricted tours we experienced - bus took you around to many places as it's a spread-out place. Didn't get inside any of the Rickhouses and couldn't take photos there, at the Stillhouse or at the Mellowing Tanks. It did save on walking though! We pulled a travel trailer behind us to Lynchburg- word to the wise, DON'T pull into the first "apparent" entrance to the place that has a guard shack. The kid inside had to put on safety gear, stop traffic and watch us back out! Go into the second entrance which has LIMITED space for vehicles with trailers, but it's there if you know how to drive and it's not already filled-up. Town is a life support system/tourist bazaar around Jack Daniels- DO GET BBQ! Went to the Barrelhouse BBQ and bought a bottle of sauce on our way out- GET THE GALLON JUG! We ran out and longed for more!

Shiloh National Battlefield in Shiloh, TN - we stayed at Green Acres RV Park in nearby Savannah, TN. Nice park with a salt water pool. All their spots are full hook-up spots and nicely maintained - they have multiple full-timers staying there, but they do take reservations and they provide a little booklet that describes local establishments etc. as a nice resource if you stay there. The National Park has a very nice visitors center with lectures and a well done Documentary that lasts 45mins. and is worth the time before you set out to see the Battlefield. There is a well laid-out driving tour that takes you through the entire battle with multitudes of interpretive signs and markers. There are many beautiful monuments and you can spend as much time as you like on foot, walking between markers across the battlefield. The driving tour took about 3 hours, you could easily spend the day if it's not too hot and you have a mind too delve deep into the movements of the battle.

Bird Dog Foundation in Grand Junction, TN - The National Bird Dog Hall of Fame. If you dabble in Bird Dogs, especially Field Trials, this is a stop you'll want to make. Admission is by donation, and they're closed on Mondays and don't open until 9am. They are fully funded by donations, so bear that in mind and open your wallet as you pass the donation box. The ladies there couldn't make you feel more at home and welcome. We again, dragged the travel trailer behind us - tough parking lot, luckily there wasn't anyone else visiting that day, until after we pulled in! Dragged tail getting in and going out, so probably want to make certain you position yourself for an easy exit prior to going in; or find alternate parking somewhere nearby! This is very close to the famous Ames Plantation where THE National Championship has been held for a LONG time - Pointers and Setters running across pristine habitat in pursuit of WILD quail to determine who the best dog is - it's an endurance event that requires a dog with a keen nose and stamina! When Don described his Hide Site as being in "Hillbilly and Banjo Country", when we got off the beaten track heading South out of Grand Junction, trying to "get" towards Memphis, it made Don's place look like suburbia.......with that uneasy, "Deliverance" feel!

Well, after the Bullets and Bourbon Tour, I thought I'd share some of the highlights of our Kentucky adventure!

Visit Don - Had a great time meeting up with Big D and all that entails; worth the price of admission which is the same as joining this site!

Distillery Tours - all ages are welcome on these excursions, but they involve lots of walking and climbing stairs so bear that in mind. Must be 21yrs. to sample the wares. Some cost $ and a few are free - average around $10.

Perryville Civil War Battlefield - one of the best preserved pieces of ground that is mostly unchanged since the battle was fought. Has a great interpretive center with a movie that covers the battle as well as exhibits. There is a self-guided tour that you can walk and drive with well done interpretive signage for each stop.

Bardstown - Historic Downtown which was one of the first settled in "Caintucee" as it was called early on as a part of Virginia. We stayed at the "Old Kentucky Home State Park Campground" which is a wooded part of the golf course there. Small quiet campground. In walking distance to the Bourbon Heritage Center at Heaven Hill Distilleries - we did a tutorial tasting here that laid a great foundation of knowledge for the start of our Bourbon portion of the trip; happened totally by accident as we just happened to get closed out at one of the less cordial of venues we'd tried to start at- won't name that place, but part of it's name is what they make the wreath out of that is placed around the neck of the winning horse at the Kentucky Derby.

Civil War Museum in Bardstown - GREAT stop with an amazing collection of exhibits that covers most major battles and figures of the conflict. Admission to this museum also entitles you to admission to their sister venues - Women of the Civil War, Pioneer Village and another who's name escapes me! Could easily spend two hours or more in this one location. Bardstown is also the place where Lt. General Hal Moore Jr. grew up - portrayed by Mel Gibson in the movie "We Were Soldiers".

Got the news after my wife Stacy had a follow-up exam last night that she needs a needle biopsy on her breast next week. I ask for prayers that the needle hits the target on the first attempt and that the results come back negative. I also ask for prayers that I support her how and whenever she needs it. Whatever the results may be, we're thankful it's very small and discovered early; still scared over the possibilities.

This is an interesting site that has a poll that you take and you can expand some areas for more questions; in the end, it'll give you pretty interesting results with what current Presidential Canidate your responses align with. It then breaks down the info even more, including a map of congressional districts that align with your viewpoints! Good info for a guy looking where to retire to!

For all the learned menses of the Suspension persuasion, with my 2012 LML (2500 4x4 Crew Cab) broaching the 95,000 mark what am I looking at needing to replace and recommendations for specific brands/components? I know I'm due for shocks AND I've just developed some caster pulse (any idea as to the cause?) in the front end when braking. I'm pretty certain it's not warped rotors, as the front brakes were done within last 10,000 miles and it only does it at speeds above 50mph.

I recall recently, someone (RN I think) posting up an entire wheel bearing assembly and something to the effect of it being more cost/time efficient to do it all at once, so recommendations of that sort are more than welcomed.

Also saw this movie last night...........save your $ ...........Artsy Fartsy bore.....scenery is beautiful......story is good, but an awful lot of .........eeehhh so what are we still stuck in this scene for! Figured with all the Oscar hype it would be good or suck...... :-\

Just saw this movie- if Hillary gets the nomination, this country is lost with the cluster # of a defense department and ROE. The fabric of those of you who've served and those still in is stronger than Kevlar.

Just learned that my Son-in-Law to be's father died suddenly today in Texas. Mr. Cargill was a member of our military eleet, whom I looked forward to meeting to thank for his service and for raising such a fine young man with the qualities that makes me proud to soon call my son as well.

What makes things so hard for this young man and by proxy, my daughter, is that we'd just held a memorial service for his mother on Saturday! She'd passed a week and a half prior, from a prolonged battle with cancer! She was a strong Christian woman, who was a pillar and an inspiration to those who knew her- I sadly did not know her as she lived out of state as well, but what I did learn at the service was awesome and humbling!

Please pray for him and my daughter as they struggle through this gut wrenching time, that Gods love and grace are showered upon them and that they know that my wife and I are there for them and that they're going to be okay.

The other is for a friend in the Brittany world, Jessica, who was severely burned in an accident that saw her loose all of her possessions, trailer and tow vehicle in a fire while traveling in Oklahoma with several dogs. Several perished and others were burned and are in Vet care at a University Clinic near the accident. Jessica had surgery today for skin grafts and is in for a lengthy recovery. There's a GoFundMe account for her as she has no insurance (medical- not certain about loss either!) - I'll only post that link if there's interest and approval. Please pray for her recovery, physically and emotionally as she was burned making repeated trips into the burning vehicles to free burning dogs- the sounds, sights and smells must have been unfathomable! All her hair burned and she had long hair- she's currently in a burn center in Kansas for about another week unless further surgery is needed.

Here's a new list I figure that I'd start: Helpful hints that most of us learn by trial and error, and nobody goes over when you buy a trailer. Please add yours as it goes along!

1. For Venetian style blinds, with the rod that bounces around going down the road, twist the blinds closed so that the lower edge of each louver closes over the upper edge of the one below it. This way the rod doesn't end up flopping around and catching behind them, bending them out at the ends. The other option is to pull them all the way open, but then it's like everyone can window shop your RV.

2. For long term storage (especially during hot weather or climate) give door, hatch and slide-out seals a light coat of petroleum jelly or seal dressing so they don't bake onto the sealing surface and crack or tear when you open them later.

Well, ran across a great sale at MidwayUSA awhile back and jumped on it! Crimson Trace rail sight with tool/knife combo for $90! Will attach to any picitiny rail - on my XDM as of now, might put on M4 at some point!

Easy on, 1/2 turn elevation brought it to top of center post open sighted at 25 feet! Should put it on paper soon as I get some range time! First shot is on rail and the second is on the wall at 15 feet inside, daylight at the casa- told the wife to touch the switch, place dot on scumbag and hold on tight and keep squeezing till said scumbag stops flinching!

What if WE housed the fund donations for the Kentucky County Clerk who's standing on her beliefs and religious convictions? Since "Go Fund Me" is pushing its anti-religious agend, why don't we stand-up for her and provide a trust worthy site that's housed close to the scene of the controversy?

What say you all?

If there's enough support, Don's behind it and we can all spitball ideas to get this outside of our small community and get it out there!

So after a trip to the Dr. in April, where he informs me that I'm fat, and have high blood pressure, I decided to get off my backside and address the issue. Started at 205 lbs. with BP in the Hypertensive/High boarder region and 5' 10" height.

Figured I'd get a Fitbit to monitor things and possibly motivate myself to keep at it. Settled on the HR which monitors steps, heart rate, calories burned, hours slept and times awake/restless, flights of stairs climbed, miles traveled and will track work out time via a stop watch and tells time and date too. Price was around $130 and I added a Fitbit scale, that links to the computer and the Fitbit phone app. for about the same price. Why the scale you ask? Well, I step on it daily after the 3 S's of the morning and it takes the reading giving me my weight down to tenths of a pound and BMI in % which is logged and graphed via the computer and phone apps. which I cannot lie about or kid myself that the scale must be off!

Using these to devices, limiting myself to 1760 calories a day and trying to keep sodium at 1500mg a day, I'm down to 188 and a BMI of 26% fat. I use "My Fitness Pal" to count calories and track sodium and other nutrients. No formal work-out other than chasing after the dogs training for and competing in Field Trials.

Fitbit Review:

Uses an internal, rechargeable battery which it says lasts for up to 5 days on a charge. More like 3-4 max, less if you're active etc. I learned from a friend at work to just plug it into the truck USB to charge it while driving to work since no steps etc. are really involved. Heart rate from idiot drivers yes, but why log the negative! ;)

The calorie app/Fitbit sync is great, as it cross references with the Fitbit data calories burned and let's you know how much more you COULD eat if you're trying to maintain a target weight- gotta ignore that if you're trying to loose! You can scan UPC codes on food to auto enter calories and the data base on other things is awesome. You can even enter your own recipes and it'll break them down by calories from servings made by the recipe. You can enter fractions of servings etc. so it's an accurate way to see what you're really stuffing in the ol' pie hole!

You can eat what you want provided you enter and track it and still loose weight- you can also go over and it'll tell you the damage done when you close the daily log with a message of "You'd weigh __ in 5 weeks if every day was like today". This summer, there were a few days (last weekend) that were "canwich" days.....BEER IS FOOD!

It's pretty acurate with its counting and tracking of what it monitors- obviously it uses averages for step measurement etc. Stairs climbed counts changes in elevation of every 10' as a flight of stairs and only logs going up. Remember this for later.

Checking time was initially done by tapping the small screen, an upgrade has it now done via a flick of the wrist. This can be turned off back to tap on if desired. It lights up the bedroom in the dark pretty good so that drains the battery some while you sleep and would be a tactical issue, but since it can be bypassed should be GTG. Further taps scroll through each log. Sleep and weight are only logged via the phone or computer.

Would I recommend it? YES, because it works, and I'm only scratching the surface of the abilities of them both. Ultimately, the key feature is you using them, they're not magic, but a tool.

Things you must do:

Be realistic, because while on horseback it counts twice the steps and you're not making any of them! In Missouri training the dogs, I topped out at 49,000 steps one day, climbed 175 flights of stairs (hills of Missouri was what I hinted at with the 10 elevation thing) and burned ridiculous calories. Now, clearly, I'd made my 10,000 step goal each day on my own, and it does read MY heart rate, not a horses so calories burned weren't skewed as far as steps verse heart rate. Some common sense must be applied in similar situations- working a chainsaw, hammering if worn on dominant wrist and other similar activities will skew things as well.

Keep it charged, the harder it works, the faster the battery drains- horseback burned it up with all the tracking.

The scale can be used by up to 8 different persons and it'll log each different- don't know how all that works, cause I'm the only one doing it in the house.

Hope this helps anyone interested in "what it does and is it worth it"?

Today is Blessing of the Backpacks Day at church- 10 yr. old daughter goes to the school there and it's a great way to kick off their school year!

May all of your children have a safe and blessed year, growing in knowledge and faith, and may they all learn the difference between being children in the world and not "of the world". Pray for them and their teachers-

So, during a frog strangling rain the day I was leaving the Ozarks for home, I'm standing in the bathroom, brushing my teeth and hear a constant drip in the shower area. Now, nobody showered since the previous afternoon, so the shower is dry except for the splashes from the drips. I'm looking all over with nothing but ceiling and skylight around the scene of the drip source. I start touching screws of the skylight and here comes a steady stream upon touching the second one! I push up evenly upon the rim of the skylight and it's like I suddenly have a rain head shower- leaking around the entire perimeter of the shower! Now the rain was falling heavy enough for there to be a constant flow/build-up of 1/3" on the roof of the trailer, which luckily quit not long after.

I get home and the next day climb up on the roof to discover the sealant/caulk has separated at 2 of the 4 corners of the outside layer of the skylight- easy fix! Break out the chisle sided putty knive and easily cut the old caulk away and replace it with some of that handy emergency caulk tape on 3 of the 4 corners, as a 3rd was looking iffy. I can see a total caulk removal/replacement and roof re-coat next summer! Sure am glad I keep a roll of that stuff around in the RV toolbox!

Well, of course when camping in 100+ degree heat indices, what breaks on an RV? Yep, the AC! My friend, a professional dog trainer, leases a home, outbuildings and 16 acres from a HUGE operation Gas Company and Cattle Ranch near Lebanon, MO and I WAS , plugged into one of the outbuildings. Second morning there, after overnight down pour, the AC breaker inside the trailer pops, reset and life goes on for awhile, then pops again. So long story short, replace RV breaker with a 30amp one, as that's all was available at Electricians Shop, RV place and Big Box builders store. Back in business until next morning after more rain, breaker inside the building blows!

I'd had unit services prior to trip to make sure AC was GTG and had called my reputable and knowledgeable Service guy and we checked out the volt inside the RV etc. and figured it was a starter capacitor going bad along with faulty RV breaker. Well upon building breaker popping, we started checking out building.......holy s#%?! -with power off at the pole, half the wires AND GROUND had power going to it!!! We had a flashlight sized meter that buzzes and lights-up if voltage is present and it WAS. Used volt meter to check things out. Breaker box was live, ground wire live, cut dangling wires outside etc.

Suffice to say, the goober "in charge" is penny wise and dollar foolish! Argued that nothing was wrong, until we got one of his guys to come out and verify how goofed up it really was! Sitting here today watching the circus while "goober" has hired a licensed electrician to HOPEFULLY do it right.

Sweating it out "literally" waiting on final prognosis on AC unit repair which they hopefully get to today as I'm into day 3 of "waiting" to see.

So a big $ operation that "clears" the cost of a new pick-up truck every second of the day in natural gas sales, has a "goober" saving $ doing things "good enough" not able to see the long range cost of a wrongful death suit!? Did I mention that the trainer has a nice setter he's training for the OWNER's son? Yep, somebody's job is on the line here and I'm not thinking it's the Dog Trainer!

Sitting in a small church in Gardner, MO on Sunday, it would seem as if preacher Tim was trolling our discussions, CIEMR and other boards here!

His message was that there is a need for, and an awakening taking place in this Nation! The minority (Christians) need to stand-up and demand that our voices be heard! Why shouldn't we be heard, as the minority views seem to be running the agendas of our Government? We need to be un-appologetic in or demand that Christian values be protected every bit as much as others "rights" that are trashing this once great Nation. He also delineated the desire of God to Bless his people, not pass judgement. He WILL pass judgement on those (Nations and individuals) who do not seek his will and live his word......and accept his gift of salvation. He also stated that a battle is coming......this is the same preacher I've previously mentioned keeps a metal sign across from his porch to perform a mag dump when he has a bad day as a heating and air technician.....

The more this site becomes known, the more we will find our message is more widespread than we know!

Here are my two daughters at Taylor Swift concert last Sunday evening. My oldest, Alexa, hated me due to the handy work of my practice wife, and my former mother-out-law. Time, consistent message and expectations along with the birth of my youngest Madison, lifted the veil of lies and negative propaganda.

My point is, those with children with negative attitudes towards you, hold the course, remain consistent and loving as possible. They do grow up and learn to think for themselves and come to realize your not as evil/stupid as they once thought.

So, after vacation with extensive hotel stay, I decided to do something with the sizable collection of toiletries accumulated: assemble 3 personal "kits" for each family member!

PART 1WashclothShampooConditionerHand LotionBar SoapQ-tips

PART 2ToothbrushFlossToothpastePersonal WipesDeodorantMore Bar Soap

I vacuum sealed each part, and then in honor of Dons Department of Redundancy redundancy, I vacuum sealed PART 1 & 2 together! Keeps items together, easy to distribute, no rattling around loose, waterproof and gives me source of additional bag type structure for whatever need may arise! Granted, not as easy to maximize space working on my PHD skills (pile it higher and deeper) within the pack, but then again, long term storage is extended with things being sealed. I also vacuum sealed three other wipe type packages to prevent drying out- 2 freshen-up types and one baby wipes.

A question for the masses, "In a SHTF scenario, what alternatives for TP have y'all considered?" I know in snow country, a fresh handful works pretty well, but what about the other 3 seasons of the year? :o

Got a email link from a Survival Institute, watched the video etc. and was intrigued.......$50 for "blueprints" to build your own Electric Generator from parts available from Radio Shack etc. and was wondering if anyone had any first hand knowledge of the "Strings Generator" etc.

Not a horrible price if legit, but seems like possible "snake oil" fundraiser for someone who's not me too!

So living in suburbia, manicured lawns with cut worms feasting upon the root system draws critters that find them quite the delicacy.......you know, Peppe' La Peu..... a.k.a. skunks! With a concrete front stoop, the pesky critters find it quite the bug-put site and take up residence under the hardened bunker outside my front door. Early in our life here, I had a cycle of 3 such critters in a month. Pest services charge upwards of $175 to show up and set one of those "Have-a-Heart" cage traps, then $100 min. to empty it EACH time....so being resourceful (CHEAP) I obtained a Conibear trap from my dog trainer back then and took matters in my own hands. Discovered that even once "whacked" in those jaws of death, it's prudent to administer a "cou-de-gras" with Mr. .22 back then.

Fast forward to last week- signs of digging show at the sight of my former struggle so I go to the garage and re-deploy Mr. Conibear at the sight of the burrow. Nothing shows at the end of last week so I figure remove said trap and fill hole in and go off with the camper to enjoy the outdoors. So upon my return home, while trimming the bushes that envelop our entrance each summer, I discover a freshly dug den of stench! Re-setting the slightly rusted trap, which I anchored with a stake, I sit back and wait for Se?or' Stinky to forage for grubs. Around 9:30 PM I detect a disturbance in the Force (faint nasal discomfort) and peer out the window to observe the scene- Mr. & Mrs. Middle East are waking down the middle of the street by the glow of mercury vapor lighting, sauntering with hands clasped behind their backs enjoying their stroll.....until they get down wind of my place! LOL!

So early this AM, the youngest Bird Finder wakes me to let him out or I can mop out his crate; I picked "wake up" instead of roll-over. Once I've returned him to his crate, I figure go out and remove the evidence from the trap in time for today's weekly trash removal. Donning rubber gloves, free-flowing pajamas and two plastic garbage bags, I remove the assembly from behind the bushes and lay-out the victim and trap on the grass, ready to open the jaws of death so I can put the trap away and Pepe in the trash. While attempting to reset the substantial springs, I brushed the head of our victim with the bar clamp I was using and notice it's rear leg move- NAH, that isn't possible- let me check that again.......YEP did it again.......can't open that trap just yet or I could fall victim to a series of vengeance attacks!

Skunks are one of your most likely carriers of Rabies, hence the gloves, but nitrile doesn't hold up to sharp teeth of vermin, not to mention the usual "nerve agent" Mother Nature provides them with from birth! Hammer Time! No not the 80's version by M.C. , rather the carpentry variety applied like the late 60's song, "Maxwells Silver Hammer" I seem to remember was by the Beatles? Wisely, I opened one of the bags and place over the backside of our villain, just in case. Upon completion of said procedure with the "mlotek", I think "great, no nerve agent detected" and proceed to prepare to remove the trap for future use......h'mmm.......I feel this strange pressure in my nostrils....my tongue is watery......GAG....BLECK! I remember at that point that when in close proximity to skunk juice, you don't really smell it as much as you "feel" it! Gagging and spitting, I double bag trap and all and burry it in my trash bin!

First step in "recovery" was some fresh Dunkin' outta the Keurig then fired up the full pot of Costco Dark Roast to subdue the lingering effects of post traumatic STENCH syndrome........AAARG! Wife just opened the door and I got a new waft.......yuck! MORE COUGHFEEEE!

Went to Cabelas to view this traveling exhibit today- introduced daughter to the human cost of Vietnam- that is that caused by direct combat. Not quite ready for the psychological price paid by those who survived the combat. Flags in the background are for each POW/MIA still unaccounted for.

So I've aquired vertigo and not the one by Hitchcock. Increasing in frequency and severity to point while walking down hallway this afternoon, the wall on my left was at a 45 degree angle and leaned against me! Never been in a heliocopter but imagine Don and Duane might have imparted similar effects to some cocky passengers.

Appreciate prayers for a vanilla diagnosis and treatment - also for safety of others and myself as I drive home- ride here I was line a dottering 90 something affraid to turn my head fast for fear of puking in my nice truck or curbing myself or some poor KIA driver sipping a machioto latte here in sheepleville.

What's your favorite gauge shotgun for carrying and shooting effectively for a long weekend of upland hunting? Not sitting on your duff having game driven or called to you, but following dogs, spot and stalk or group driving after upland birds, rabbits or squirrels? You can add what action/style you prefer as well, in your reply and explain your rational as well. ::)

So interesting tie in with previous topics regarding Gold and it's low price, WMF and America in cahoots to manipulate Golds price to shore up the Dollar. On the above mentioned show on History Channel last night, there's "Mancow" (the brother of the car salesman giving away guns that the video clip of him treating the reporter to a good mind bending experience) basically expressing his observations and views on the ARTIFICIALLY LOW PRICE OF GOLD and how China, Russia, England etc. are snatching it up, especially after a HUGE sell-off BY the good ole' USA? There was mention of previous sell-off right after we went off the Gold standard under Nixon.......probably explains the movement of armored warfare from Ft. Knox......nothing left to guard maybe? :o

You're supreme authority of the US for a day, and whatever law you come up with gets passed and becomes reality, but you can only pick one, and it needs to be faith based- what do you do?

Mine-

In order to collect Welfare, you and every dependent you claim, must attend church together every week. (Church, Synagogue, Mosque [outta wedlock mothers last there?] etc.). Don't want to, don't collect- kids don't want to, no credit for them.

So sitting here at the Socialist.....er' I mean Illinois Education Association Representative Assembly and put before us was a motion to eliminate an Invocation from the opening of the Assembly, by any religious figure......this year was a priest, previously there have been pastors, rabbis etc.

The Political Correct crowd wants to deny recognition of any deity as well as denying others recognition of such (Christ for me) as their embrace of Religious Freedom; er' freedom FROM religion I guess.

Well, upon being called for a VOTE, was DEFEATED!

Thankfully, even in this land of liberalism and secular progressivism,

The majority of Illinois Teachers still acknowledge GOD!Back to wallowing in liberalism...... :-X

So, I pulled the trigger on a Self Directed IRA just short of a month ago. Got the paper work filled, etc. and got the "funding" check from my previous Mutual Fund. I prayed about making the right decision and asked God to bless and guide me through the process.

As requested (prayer) my Mutual shares increased in value daily up to the conversion and Gold and Silver dropped and stayed steady until I got the funding check.

Now you can't really open a checking account for this program without using IRA Funds- specific RULES about co-mingling funds etc. So check comes Sat. (Instead if Friday as planned) and I TRY to open the LLC checking account at CHASE where my other accounts are. Well, for some reason, J.P. Morgan Chase will not allow a LLC to open an account for Investment purposes without being registered in Land of Stinkin' too!? So NUTS, Gold was down $35 further and I wanted to get the conversion to the "shiny stuff" while the price was low!

Contacted the people at Broad Financial and they clarified that it was unnecessary to follow Chase requirements and sent me the written proof etc. So today, I take those papers into a Chase brace close to work figuring they'd get a better grasp of the situation and NOPE, they just no longer allow business checking accounts for investment purposes etc.

So, the nice lady who TRIED to help me suggests that I try a Local Bank down the road, which I do, no issue! Now through the early part of previous 48 hours, I was pretty stressed over "missing the boat on price" part of the prayed for process.......until I remembered to "TRUST IN THE LORD" as I was walking out Chase.

Got home to discover that, as I was panicked (Gold price rose during the day) over not being able to pull the trigger when "I" desired, Gold had dropped to lower than when I initially wished to purchase, when I was finally able to place the order! I ended up with MORE of the shiny stuff than I would have otherwise.

Big reminder to TRUST in The Lord as his plans are better than ours, and he answers our prayers when we have faith and remember to be patient!

Setting up my "Self-Directed IRA" via Jay Goldblatt at Broad Financial, and thought I'd pose some questions for Don to answer since he's one of the catalysts that have me heading down this road through his own discussion of his experiences with the program.

Did you list others as members if the LLC ? If so, why, whom, etc.?

Any lessons or advice you'd share having already lived the process?

Given that I'm not full retirement age for an IRA yet, and I can still make contributions from income, any insight into that process?

Obviously, if Jay is on here, answer away publicly or anyone else for that matter, as I'm posing these questions for myself and others who might be considering doing likewise. ???

I've contemplated this for some time with micro-chips in dogs, but NOW it's been announced for people. West Coast Tech Companies have offered a small chip implanted under employees skin to replace their ID's and they can pay for things using it too-

New addition to the Kennel! (house)Hank- he's part alligator being a 9 week old puppy! Causes interrupted sleep but is really doing good housebreaking and fitting in with rest of the Brittanys in the house.